Detectives are appealing for help after the ashes of an elderly woman’s husband were stolen in a burglary in Greenwich.

At about 2pm on September 14, a man knocked at the front door of a home in Annandale Road, said he was a private plumber and claimed he needed to check a leak coming from the property.

The victim, an 83-year-old woman, allowed the man to investigate the leak. He spent a short time in the home, including the kitchen and rear bedroom, and then left the address.

After he had gone, the victim discovered that several items had been stolen, including three gold chains, a wedding ring, a silver band with a blue sapphire stone, £50 in cash, a bank card, Marks and Spencers vouchers and Debenhams vouchers.

A heart-shaped silver locket and a heart-shaped box, that both contained her husband’s ashes, were also missing.
It is suspected that another man entered the property while the victim was distracted.

The Met Police have  now release a picture of two men they  would like to speak to as part of the investigation into the burglary.

Detective Constable Robert Costigan, the officer in the case, said: “This is a particularly harrowing crime that targeted a vulnerable member of our society.

"The victim had possessions stolen that are irreplaceable and this has had a devastating effect upon her. I ask any person with information about the identity of these two men, or any information about the burglary, to come forward and contact police”.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD4297/14SEP or Tweet @MetCC.